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Possible induction can I get epidural before drip?

41 replies

Melvin2021 · 22/01/2022 11:49

I've always been under the impression if the hormone drip is needed then I can request epidural to be administered first but someone has just told me I can't. Can someone clarify this for me please?

Being induced on Wednesday if nothing happens before then and I'm not looking forward to it because all you get is horror stories. (None of them please) FTM. TIA

OP posts:
Melvin2021 · 22/01/2022 21:01

@BobstarSunny since you've been induced recently should I take snacks or anything with me I'm not sure what I'm doing haha

OP posts:
RunningKatie · 22/01/2022 21:30

I've had 2 inductions and had never heard of this!
First one was drip at 7am, dc arrived by 10.30am
Second was drip at 9am, dc arrived at 1pm.
Was 15 days over with both!
I had heard inductions were the worst thing ever but it's all I've known, gas and air got me through.
Don't believe all you hear, some people love to share a "friends" labour horror story, especially to first timers Hmm

Daisy4569 · 22/01/2022 21:35

Agree that people love sharing a horror story, put me off getting pregnant for years! Had my first last year, an induction with no pain relief. It was honestly fine and nothing at al like I’d built it up to be in my head.

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Remmy123 · 22/01/2022 21:37

Yes you can! I did - good luck x

Knitter99 · 22/01/2022 21:38

3 inductions, no horror stories here. All straight forward, no assisted delivery, no stitches. Just to counter the negative things you've been hearing.

Good luck op, hope all goes well.

BobstarSunny · 22/01/2022 23:40

[quote Melvin2021]@BobstarSunny since you've been induced recently should I take snacks or anything with me I'm not sure what I'm doing haha[/quote]
Yes definitely take snacks, although they were good at feeding us when we were there. Things I found useful when I was there, snacks (your birthing partner will need to take food for themselves, once in the delivery suite they aren't allowed to leave and come back because of covid), big drinks bottle for water, something for the boredom when you're awake, an extra long charger cable for your phone, Tena lady pants and some maternity pads for afterwards, Frida Mom cool it wipes for after the birth to help with swelling down below.

Try not to over pack stuff, it's likely you'll be in for one night afterwards to recover & when you move to the ward your partner won't be allowed on there. I packed too much stuff and it was a pain then when I was leaving. After the epidural try and get back on your feet as soon as possible. Your feet and hands will swell up and the sooner you get moving round the better for your recovery. You'll also have to pass urine twice so they can see your bladders working after labour and because you'll have a catheter fitted on an epidural. When you're on the drip and have the epidural fitted you will be bed ridden so it's good to know where everything is in your bags as you'll be relying on your partner/midwife to fish things out for you.

My labour during the day was mainly spent chatting to my partner and the midwife. As it got later in the day towards the night I'd been put on the epidural and then I just wanted to sleep as much as I could. Eventually I started pushing at around 6am. It's a long time to go without the pain relief and you just don't know how your body will respond to the drip or how long it'll take to get into active labour.

Get the epidural before the pain becomes too much because you need to stay as still as possible for the dr to fit it into your back. I stayed as still as I possibly could because I wanted it to work first time. It didn't really take very long for it to be fitted and the pain relief took about half hr to kick in,

You'll be fine on the day. The drs and midwives do it so often I put all my faith in them and they were great. They'll look after you when you're there and you've got your beautiful baby to look forward to at the end!Smile

DebbieHarrysCheekbones · 22/01/2022 23:46

I had three inductions
41 and two at 39 weeks
No epidural just gas and air for all normal unassisted deliveries

Just see how you get on don’t overthink it. That’s as important as avoiding horror stories and writing a birth plan

Good luck

Salamander91 · 22/01/2022 23:47

I was on the drip for about 8 hours and didnt have a single contraction 🙈 my body did not want to go into labour. Ended up with a very relaxed emergency csection (it wasn't really an emergency only classed as such because it wasn't planned).

Wasywasydoodah · 22/01/2022 23:54

Ive had the drip twice and no epi. I wish I’d had the epi for my last labour. Am sure they turned the drip up to max and i had no space between contractions for hours. I was so out of it with pain i couldn’t even think to ask. But my first one was fine with gas and air. You should have a think about what you want and not let them put a drip in without an epi if that’s what you decide!

Zodlebud · 22/01/2022 23:56

I had an induction and a really positive experience- DC was born in an hour and a half start to finish. No drip needed. Just the pessaries.

Honestly though, husband almost missed the birth it happened so quickly (in the middle of the night). Everyone expects induction to be a long drawn out process but sometimes it isn’t.

Yahyahs22 · 23/01/2022 00:05

They advised I had an epidural before my drip and I did. But even with an induction I was in labour for 16 hours. Take snacks.

myhousebuild · 23/01/2022 00:15

God my hospital didn't even offer an epidural at all...that was 8 yrs ago.

allfurcoatnoknickers · 23/01/2022 03:15

@MajesticElephant

When I was told I needed to be induced my no-nonsense consultant strongly recommended that I have the epidural before the drip and told me not take no for an answer. She wrote it in my notes and happened to be in the delivery ward when I was up there so I had no issues. Your neighbour is talking shit.
My no-nonsense consultant said the exact same thing.
accidentlygothereagain · 23/01/2022 08:38

I was induced and had the epidural before the drip too. I slept through the whole of labour lol

Melvin2021 · 23/01/2022 12:39

I'll definitely not take no for an answer!

OP posts:
Seaography · 23/01/2022 12:50

No one had mentioned pain relief to me before the drip and it was agony. I can't remember the name if the midwife who was with me all night but I can remember the anesthetist vividly Grin. If I did it again that drip wouldn't be going anywhere near me until I had an epidural in.

It didn't slow my labour at all. We caught the midwife by surprise as she told me to get some sleep as nothing was happening that night, DD was born 2 hours later Smile.

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